Wednesday, 31 July 2019

President Mnangagwa is this week expected to declare the
drought experienced in the 2018-2019 summer cropping season a national disaster
as part of efforts to assist communities in need of food aid.

This was said by Local Government, Public Works and
National Housing Minister July Moyo while receiving an assortment of goods and
food aid mobilised by Parliamentarians and Parliamentary staff yesterday.

Zimbabwe and other Sadc countries like Namibia and Botswana
experienced poor rains during the past season and an estimated five million
people in the country require food aid according to the 2019 Zimbabwe
Vulnerability Assessment Committee report.

“This week the President is going to declare a national
disaster on drought. Botswana and Namibia have already declared.

“We need to mobilise as Zimbabweans and would want to urge
Parliament to be at the forefront of domestic mobilisation and it’s the messages
that come out of Parliament which can help us mobilise regional and
international assistance,” Minister Moyo said.

He said that a second humanitarian appeal is going to be
launched next week during the visit of Mr David Beasley, the executive director
of the World Food Programme.

“This coming week is going to be an important week for us
because the executive director of the World Food Programme is visiting us and
we are launching the second appeal which will be an appeal that will last until
April next year.

“Zimbabwe has both drought and effects of Cyclone Idai, so
we will be launching next week an appeal to continue with activities linked to
Cyclone Idai as well as the drought,” he said.

Minister Moyo said the Disaster Risk Management Bill had
been finalised and was now awaiting approval by Cabinet before presentation to
Parliament.

Speaker of the National Assembly Advocate Jacob Mudenda
said as legislators, they had the responsibility of representing people’s
aspirations.

“As legislators who are elected representatives entrusted
with the sacred responsibility of representing the hopes and aspirations of the
people of Zimbabwe, the memory of the estimated 270 000 people that were
affected by Cyclone Idai, some of whom still remain in need of critical
lifesaving humanitarian support, remains indelibly etched on our minds,” he
said.

“We owe our elevated positions to the people of Zimbabwe
who elected us into office on the principle of trustship, including those
affected by Cyclone Idai. To that end, we cannot remain silent and inactive
while our people suffer. We cannot stand aside and watch while our citizenry
bear the brunt of this natural disaster, neither can we afford to be unmoved
by-standers while the Executive, civil society and ordinary citizens make
valiant efforts to bring relief to the victims of Cyclone Idai.” Herald